Brickyard 400 2013 Results: Reaction, Leaders and Post-Race Analysis

In another amazing race from the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it was Ryan Newman and the No. 39 car that took the checkered flag and won the 2013 Brickyard 400.

Newman was able to hold off four-time Brickyard 400 winner Jimmie Johnson to grab the lead late in the race and hold it through the end. As an Indiana native, the hometown boy finally achieved his lifetime goal of winning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Hendrick Motorsports had another great showing as Johnson managed to finish second and Kasey Kahne took third. Newman’s car owner, Tony Stewart, finished fourth overall, and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top five.

Newman won the pole for the 2013 Brickyard 400 with an impressive time of 187.531 (new track record) and came out flying when the green flag dropped on Sunday’s race.

Newman maintained the lead through the first 30 laps heading into green-flag pit stops, but the story early was Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his car’s loose wheel. The No. 88 was forced to the pit on Lap 12 because of a serious mistake and had to fight back from being a lap down.

After the first round of green-flag stops was over, Newman found himself in second place, trailing Jimmie Johnson. Johnson held the lead for most of the green-flag laps that dominated the majority of the race.

It wasn’t until Timmy Hill brought out the caution on Lap 59 that the field came back together. Despite a mad dash from Newman and Carl Edwards off the restart, Johnson once again maintained the lead and raced off to a comfortable margin.

The field spread out once again until Jeff Burton brought out the caution on Lap 81 and forced the teams back to another always-important restart. The Penske cars of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano stayed out and exchanged the lead amongst themselves until the duo had to pit on Lap 97.

Johnson retook the lead, but green-flag pit stops and another caution on Lap 114 brought on by Hill’s car once again shuffled the leaderboard. It was Johnson who took the green flag and gained the lead with 40 laps to go.

The race once again reached green-flag pit stops with 30 laps left, and after a slow pit stop from Johnson, ultimately Newman came out in front of the field with Johnson in second. Nascar tweeted a terrific picture of Newman and his family on the bricks:

After one of the wildest races of the year, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series moves into the heart of the season as it travels to Pocono Speedway for the GoBowling.com 400. The next race will take place Aug. 4 at 1:19 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN.